Stills
by Lenidrabbles
Summary: 12 snapshots of the series. Different characters and situations. Rated for LANGUAGE!


**DISCLAIMER:** Not the author. Not the producer. I'm having fun here!  
**WORDCOUNT:** 12x100  
**SUMMARY:** Different moments, different povs. Spoilers to both seasons.  
**NOTES:** Prompts taken from **12_stories** (Miscellanous A).

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**STILLS**  
by Leni

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**_COLOUR._**  
1x03. Mine.

Malcolm poked Diane's hip with his toes. "You haven't pouted since the eighties," he drawled, yanking his foot back when Diane's nails stabbed into the space where it had been. "You can't be attached to that bore. Is this why you dragged us down to Area 6? To have another go at Boring Bill? Haven't I been disappointed enough tonight?" Malcolm lamented, running one finger down Jerry's cold chest.

"Stuff it. A pair of rosy cheeks have enchanted him." Diane joined him at the couch, cupping Jerry's pale face, and grinned. "Can't wait until she's as dead as this pet."

xxx

**_DECISIONS. _**  
1x02. The First Taste

Two nights ago, he would have left her to die.  
(_he steps away_)

Two nights ago, he wouldn't have been the reason she's bleeding to death.  
(_he steps forward_)

Bill recognizes the attackers in a second - blood rats. They tear into the woman, their deranged glee a sharp stink in the air. He should let it happen; vampires can't afford to be linked to any more violence.

But this woman saved him. If that reason won't stand under the Sheriff's scrutiny, eliminating these two parasites should do the trick.

(_he steps…_)

That's when he realizes only one person remains breathing.

xxx

**_RULES. _**  
1x05. Sparks Fly Out.

"Nobody makes a better pie than you do, Mrs. Stackhouse," Arlene declared before spearing her fork through the last piece. "No wonder Sookie is always so perky. Can I have the recipe?"

"There are no secrets." Adele smiled. "The first rule is love - and picking the freshest fruit."

"That means time, eh?" Sookie's friend put her elbows on the table, buried her chin into her hands, and groaned pitifully. "Single moms got no time to pick any fruit, Mrs. Stackhouse. It all comes from a can."

"I'll make you one," Adele offered. "Weekend after the meeting, come pick it up."

xxx

**_BETRAYAL. _**  
1x09. Plaisir d'Amour.

What a mess. They'll need to clean Longshadow out of the furniture themselves, if they want to open for business tonight. Call him old-fashioned, but Eric despises menial housework. Tough luck that Pam hates it even more.

If only that useless girl would stop screeching. At least Bill's mind-reader has stopped shivering and now only looks distressed, torn between hiding in her lover's arms or washing herself first.

Such a strange human.

If this is a taste of her character, Eric himself might have been tempted to betray his kind for her. Good thing that Bill beat him to it.

xxx

**_PASSION. _**  
2x08. Timebomb.

"A word, William, if you have the time."

Godric's tone suggested an option, but Bill heard the order behind the words. He nodded and walked next to the older vampire, meeting Eric's speculative glare with the haughtiest he could summon on the spot.

"I know not from where such childish rivalry stems," Godric commented, making a hand movement that compelled Eric to return to his previous conversation. "He… griped… about you long before your human showed up. Are you stubborn, William Compton?"

"Not always."

"Too passionate, maybe?"

Bill couldn't help turning toward Sookie.

"Ah." Godric chuckled. "There it is, then."

xxx

**_TRUTH. _**  
2x11. Frenzy.

As he presses himself against the patio chair, Lafayette knows that he must be in somebody else's body, in somebody else's scared mind. Lafayette Reynolds doesn't hide away from no man; he walks up to idiots like Royce and uptight jackasses that sit in the Senate.

Lafayette shouldn't be trembling, cowering from Lettie Mae behind a piece of furniture. He shouldn't be letting Sookie cradle him like a scared baby, or playing second fiddle to Sookie's plan.

_No wonder you thrive in their world,_ Lafayette thinks as they jump into his car, and wishes that Sookie won't read that thought.

xxx

**_LOYALTY. _**  
post S1

"I don't like you." Tara waited for the vampire's reaction, then bit her tongue on a rush of profanity. Figures that Sookie would find the last gentlemanly vampire - his lecture against 'such vulgar language' had been so boring that Tara was willing to bring her talk down to kindergarten level if she could avoid a repeat. "Hello? I'm your girlfriend's best pal, so make up your mind whether you care about her, because I'm with Sookie and I'm going nowhere."

A small smile. "_Sookie_ likes me."

"That's why I'm here," Tara stated. "Hurt her, and I'll make your life hell."

xxx

**_FORGIVENESS. _**  
1x11. To Love Is To Bury.

There is a perverse satisfaction when Sookie's decision drags the vampire away from the house. Bill may be the stronger one, but now he's left with his tail between his legs - an image that, considering the circumstances, Sam finds very amusing.

It's not amusing when Sookie makes him leave. His offenses are insignificant in comparison, and yet their punishment is the same? Sam scowls in wordless helplessness. They will get back together; Sookie forgives too easily for that vampire not to take advantage.

Damn them both.

And damn him, for one day he'll run back to pick the broken pieces.

xxx

**_RISK. _**  
1x07. Burning House of Love.

Nothing matters. Nothing. Not that the living are pissed at him: his crazy sister, his sister's best friend, and even Lafayette's prickly about V. Work doesn't matter, or that Andy won't take his eyes off him. It doesn't matter that Jason's being surrounded by dead bodies; Gran, Maudette, Dawn, and _Vampire Bill_, who everybody says bit Sookie last night - fuck!

He needs to clear his mind. He needs some peace, some time, _some V, please_.

At Fangtasia, Jason walks past the blond lady at the front gate and smiles…. Just a little more, and he'll be as good as new.

xxx

**_NATURE. _**  
1x11. To Love Is To Bury.

The night William Compton met Lorena, he knew true despair. He paced for nights in her cabin, snarling at the soldiers' corpses for not being what Lorena had found in him. Escape was planned, but he found himself unable to deny his Maker; then the pleading started. One night, one hour, _one minute_ to see his family. He'd walk away afterwards, he promised.

Bill had kept his word, and he swore never to force anyone through that suffering.

Now Jessica is laughing in delight. "GODDAMNIT," she keeps yelling.

Bill hurries after her, but he suspects she's long beyond his reach.

xxx

**_QUESTIONS. _**  
1x05. Sparks Fly Out.

"Don't think I wanted to tell you this, but…."

Adele tightened her grip on her purse and wished that the milk hadn't run out.

"You've always been too permissive with those kids, dear…."

Hoyt was such a sweet boy; the young man's manners had always delighted her. Hoyt's easy friendship with Jason gave her hope for her grandson - Jason couldn't be that bad with such good friends, - and she had once hoped for a much tighter bond between the boy and Sookie.

"Are you listening, Adele Stackhouse?"

Thank goodness Sookie never glanced at Hoyt twice. "Oh, Maxine. Do shut up!"

xxx

**_WATCHING. _**  
post S1

Tara sighed as she plopped herself down on Sookie's bed. "It's not fair. I always thought that when you finally gave it up, I'd have fun pressing you for details."

Sookie turned away from her careful work on her fingernails to beam at her best friend. "Press away."

"No fuckin' way, girl."

At Tara's full-bodied shudder, Sookie pretended to study her new nail polish. "I've got nothing to hide," she said.

"We noticed." Tara glanced pointedly at Sookie's discarded scarf. "You look happy enough that I'm not freaking. But I'm watching out for you, Sookie. Someone needs to do it."

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**The End**  
02/01/10


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